Bomb



23, 1939. J. P. HULSWVIT BOMB Filed Dec. 17, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet l %Y 7 E N m w ZJSLEM 1939- J. P. HULSWIT BOMB Filed Dec. 17, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Mar. 28, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BOMB Jan Pierre Hulswlt,'Noroton, Conn.

Application December 17, 1937, Serial No. 180,281

13 Claims.- (01. 102-2) My invention relates to aerial bombs and more particularly to improvements in the type of bombs disclosed in my U. S. Patent No. 2,087,287 granted July 20, 1937.

In the above mentioned patent there is disclosed and broadly claimed a bomb device which is adapted to be dropped from an aircraft flying over'water. The device includes a plurality of bombs secured to a carrier and arranged so that if a direct hit on the target is not scored and the device falls into the water, the bombs are released therefrom and propelled by self-contained power plants in a plurality of directions radiating from the point of impact so the bombs travel through the water and one or more of them may strike the target. The objects and advantages of my present invention will be apparent from the following description considered in connection with the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification and of which:

Fig. l is a side view, partially broken away, of

a bomb device in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a top view of the device shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 31s a cross-sectional view taken on the 'line 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a view on an enlarged scale of a portion of the device shown in the preceding figures;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 but with certain parts in difl'erent relative positions;

Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 'l'| of Fig. 1; Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. 1;

Fig. -9 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 9-9 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 10 is a view on an enlarged scale showing a detail; and

Fig. 11 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line ll-ll of Fig. 10.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 1 through 45 4, reference character it) designates generally a carrier which includes a central shaft II having an eniargedupper end I2. A plurality of vanes or rudders l3 radiate from the enlarged end l2 and serve to maintain the device in a substantially vertical position during descent. The rudders l3 are provided with lugs H on either side thereof and pins i 5 extend between adjacent lugs.

Bomb cradles it are provided with pairs of arms so permltrelative rotation to take place between the As shown, sleeve 28 and shaft two members while at the same time imposing'a certain frictional restriction to such rotation. Sleeve is formed with a plurality of spiral vanes 22 on its outer side.

A bomb or aerial torpedo 25 is releasably secured to each of the bomb cradles l6 and to the carrier Ill. As appears clearly in Figs. 1 and 4', the bombs 25 are held with their longitudinal axes parallel to each other and to shaft .l I. This results in a unit as compact as possible and which' may be stored advantageously aboard the aircraft. A further advantage of having the lateral dimensions of the unit as small as possible is that it increases armor piercing ability, should a direct hit be scored. It also decreases the resistance to passage through the air and reduces the probability of the devices being turned from a vertical position by air currents during its descent.

Each bomb is provided with a rudder 26 formed with an open ended slot 21. When the bombs are in place the pin l5 extends through slot 21 and is positioned in the closed end of the slot. Vanes were pivoted on either side of rudders 26 by means of a pin 29. The location of pin 29 with respect to slot 21 is such that, when the vanes 28 are in a horizontal position, they contact the upper side of pin I5. Pins 30 are secured to lugs It and extend to adjacent opposite sides of the rudders '26v on the bombs. The location of these pins is such that, when vanes 28 are in the aforementioned position, the pins 30 contact the upper surface of the vanes, thus preventing rotation of the vanes soas to release the pin l5. Consequently, as long as the bomb remains in a vertical position with respect to the carrier I0 it is pivotally supported on the pin I ii. The bomb cradles it are provided near their lower ends with spring-pressed detents 83, shown more particularly in Fig. 7, which engage slots 32 formed in the exterior surface of the bombs and serve to prevent pivotal movement of the bombs with respect to the bomb cradles about the pin ii. Inasmuch as the brackets l8 and members l9, when in engagement, prevent pivotal movement of the cradles, both the bombs and the cradles are held stationary with respect to the carrier.

The lower ends of the bombs are provided with vanes 35 which are inclined in a manner shown particularlyv in Figs. 1 and 6. The lower end of each bomb is also providedwith a detonator head 38, the purpose of which is to explode the bomb upon impact with an object. Slidably. secured to the lower end of shaft II is a protector member 81 which includes a hub portion at .and arms 39. The protector member 3? is retained on the shaft H by means of a transverse pin which extends through a slot 4|. Pin-40 also serves to prevent rotation of member '37 with respect to the shaft. The arms 39 are arranged so as to be 42 is disposed within sleeve 20 and between hub member 33 and an interior shoulder formed on the sleeve. The strength of spring 43 is so selected that it will hold the. member 31 .out of contact with detonator heads 36 upon the impact of the device with water, but will permit the member 31 to strike the heads 36 if the device falls on a solid object, to thereby explode the bombs. Spring 42 also serves to increase the frictional resistance to turning of the threads 2| to thereby prevent accidental rotation of the sleeve 20.

Each of the bombs 25 is provided with a selfcontained power plant of any desired design which is connected to rotate a propeller 45 located at the stern of the bomb. Initiation of the operation of the power plant is caused by moving a lever 46 pivotally connected to rudder 26 of the bomb. Lever 46 is preferably U-shaped as shown in Fig. 11, the bottompart'of the U extending through an arcuate slot formed in the rudder. A wire 43 is secured to lever 46 and extends to the interior of the bomb where it is connected to suitable mechanism for initiating operation of the power plant when the lever is pivoted so as to pull the rod or wire. As shown more particularly in Fig. 10, lever 46 is moved by coming into contact with the end of vanes 28 when the bomb is pivoted, in a manner which will be described in connection with the operation of the device.

The device operates as follows: When the device is released from an aircraft it falls asa unit, the'bombs 25 and the cradles l6 being securely held in place in the position shown for instance in Fig. 1. The rudders l3 on the carrier and the' rudders 26 on the bombs both serve to retain the unit in a vertical position duringdescent. As previously stated, latch members l6 engage brackets l8 on the bomb cradles and prevent the latter from pivoting about pin 15. The lower ends of the bombs and cradles are held together by means 'of the spring-pressed detents 3I and the,-upper ends of the bombs are secured to the carriage by means of pins I 5 held within the slots 27 in the rudders 26 of the bombs. If the device strikes the water, arms 33 pass therethrough with sufficiently small resistance so that the spring 42 holds the arms away from the detonator heads 36 and the arms protect the heads from direct contact with the water, thereby preventing explosion of the bombs. As the device passes downwardly through the water, the relative longitudinal movement between vanes 22 iand the water causes the vanes and sleeve 20 to be rotated bombs strike the water, the water pressure tends in a clockwise direction, as viewed from above. This in turn causes the latch members I6 to move out of engagement with'the brackets l3 on the cradles and hence the cradles and the bombs are now free to pivot about the pins l5.

When the vanes 35 on the lower ends of the solid object.

cam against the enlarged portion l2 of the carrier to force the bomb away from the carrier as it pivots. The vanes 28 do not pivot with respect to the carrier, as is shown by comparing Figs. 5

and -6, but they do pivot with respect to the rudder 26 of the bomb and finally come to the position shown in Fig. 6, where they are parallel to the slot 21. Consequently, the pins l5 are'released from the slot and the bomb may move in the direction illustrated by the arrow in Fig. 6 away from the carrier. Longitudinal movement of the bombs with respect to the cradles is not preventedby spring-pressed detents 3|, due to the inclined surface of the upper ends of slots 32 which forces the detents into their sockets. Such movement of the bombs is caused by the rotation of propeller 45, the power plant driving the propeller having been started due to the fact that lever 46 strikes the end of vane 26 as the bomb pivots'with respect to such vane and with respect to the carrier. The rotation of propellers 45 drive the several bombs in directions radiating from the point of impact. The vanes on the forward ends of the bombs serve as aquaplanes to prevent sinking of the bomb, while the rudders 26 hold the bombs on straight courses. If one or more of the bombs, while travelling through the water, strikes a target, the impact with the detonator head 36 causes explosion of the bomb.

Should a direct hit be scored and the device land on a solid object, such as a ship, the members 31 are forced upwardly against the force of spring 42 and strike the detonator heads thereby immediately exploding all of the bombs.

While I have shown one more or less specific embodiment of my invention, this has been done for purposes of illustration only and is not to be considered as limiting the scope of my invention which is to be determined by the appended claims viewed in the light of the prior art.

What I claim is:

1. In a bomb device adapted to be dropped from an aircraft, a bomb carrier, a bomb releasably secured thereto in vertical position, a detonator head atthe lower end of said bomb, a member movably secured to said carrier and extending below said head to protect said head from direct contact with the objct on which the bomb device falls, and means for resisting movement of said member with respect to said carrier toward said head, the strength of the resisting means being such as to prevent substantial movement of said member when the device strikes water and to permit movement of said member into contact with said 2. In a bomb device adapted to be dropped from an aircraft; a bomb carrier, a bomb releasably secured thereto in vertical position, a detonator head at the lower end of said bomb, a member movably secured to said carrier and extending below said head to protect said head from'dlrect contact with the object on which the bomb device falls, the lower surface of said member being streamlined for movement through water, and meansfor resisting movement of said member with respect to said carrier toward said head, the strength of the resisting means being such as to prevent substantial movement of said member when the device strikes water and to permit head when the device strikes a movement of said member into contact with said head when the device strikes a solid object.

3. In a bomb device adapted to be dropped from an aircraft into \vater, a bomb carrier, a

' plurality of bombs carried thereby, means for releasably securing said bombs to said carrier including a member rotatably secured to said carrier, and means for rotating said member upon impact with water to release said bombs.

4. In a bomb device adapted to be dropped from an aircraft into water, a bomb. carrier including a central shaft, a plurality of bombs arranged around said shaft, a sleeve rotatably mounted on said shaft, means carried by said sleeve for releasably securing said bombs -to said carrier, said means being releasable by rotation of said sleeve, and spiral vanes on said sleeve for causing rotation of the'sleeve upon impact withwater,

5. In a bomb device adapted to be dropped from an aircraft into water, a bomb carrier including a central shaft, a plurality of bombs arranged around said shaft in substantially vertical position, a detonator head at the lower end of each bomb, a sleeve rotatably mounted on said shaft, means carried by said sleeve for releasably securing said bombs to said carrier, said means being releasable by rotation ofsaid sleeve, spiral vanes on said sleeve for causing rotation of the sleeve upon impact with water, and' arms carried by said shaft and extending to below said detonator heads to protect said heads from direct impact with the water.

6. In a bomb device adapted to be dropped from an aircraft-into water, a bomb carrier including a central shaft, a plurality of bombs arranged around said shaft, a sleeve rotatably mounted on said shaft, means carried by said sleeve for releasably securing said bombs to said carrier, said means being releasable by rotation of said sleeve, means for yieldably resisting rotation of said sleeve, and spiral vanes on said sleeve for causing rotation of said sleeve against the resistance of the last mentioned means upon impact with water. 1

'7. In abomb device adapted to be dropped from an aircraft into water, a carrier, a plurality of bombcradles pivotally secured to said carrier, a bomb releasably connected to each cradle, releasable means for preventing pivotal movement of said cradles with respect to said carrier, means operative upon impact with water for releasing the firstmentioned means, and means for pivoting said bombs and cradles upon impact with water, the connection between said bombs and cradles being arranged to be released upon piv-" oting thereof.

8. In a bombdevice adapted to be dropped from an aircraft into water, a carrier, 9. plu-- rality of bomb cradles pivotally secured to said carrier, a bomb releasably connected to each cradle and to said carrier, releasable means for preventing pivotalmovement of said oradles'and bombs with respect to said carrier, means operative upon impact with water for releasing'the first mentioned means, means for pivoting said bombs and cradles upon impact with water, the connections of said bombs with ,said cradles and said carrier being arranged to-be released upon pivoting of the bombs and cradles.

9. In a bomb device adapted to be dropped from an aircraft into water, a carrier, a plurality of bomb cradles pivotallysecure'd to said carrier, releasable means for preventing pivotal movement of said cradles with respect to said carrier, a plurality of bombs, a pin and slot connection for-preventing lateral movement between each bomb and the cradle therefor, means for pivotally connecting each bomb with said carrier; means operative upon impact with water for tween each bomb and the cradle therefor, means for pivotally connecting each bomb with said carrier, comprising a first pin secured to said carrier and extending through a longitudinal open ended slot in the bomb, a second pin secured to said carrier and spaced from said first pin, a vane pivoted to the bomb and arranged to extend at right angles to said slot and between said pins with said first pin between said vane and the closed end of said slot, means operative upon impact with water for releasing the first mentioned/ means, and means for pivoting said bombs and cradles upon impact with water, whereby said slot is turned to a position parallel with said vane and said first pin is released from said slot.

11. In a bomb device adapted to be dropped from an aircraft into water, a carrier, a plurality of bomb cradles pivotally secured to said carrier, releasable means for preventing pivotal movement of said cradles with respect to saidcarrier, a plurality of bombs, a pin and slot connection for preventing lateral movement between each bomb and the cradle therefor, means for pivotally connecting each bomb with said carrier comprising a first pin secured to said carrier and extending through a longitudinal open ended slot in the bomb, a, second pin secured to said carrier and spaced from said first pin, a vane pivoted to the bomb and arranged to extend at right angles to' said slot and between said pins with said first pin between said vane and the closed end of said slot, means operative upon impact with water for releasing the first mentioned means, means for piyoting said bombs and cradles upon impact with water, whereby said slot is turned to a position parallel with said vane and said first pin is released from said slot, .a power plant in each bomb, and means for initiating operation of said power plant upon relative rotation I of thebomb with respect to the vane.

12. In a bomb device adapted to be launched from an aircraft at a water-borne target, a; bomb carrier, a bomb releasably secured thereto in substantially vertical position, a detonator head 4 at the lower end of said bomb, and means secured to said carrier for preventing detonation upon releasing said bomb frbm said carrier and turning the bomb throughapproximately upon impact with water.

- JAN PIERRE HUIBWI'I. 

